


Empire

by orphan_account



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-10
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-06 22:19:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3150344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael is the boss of a mob family in the 1970s and Luke is a recent made man that started as a highly skilled bank robber. Michael just so happens to take an interest in him, and it all spirals from there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

Luke scrambled over the brick wall before him, grinning as the backpack full of stolen cash thumped against his back rhythmically as he walked away from the bank.

He had managed to retrieve double of what was asked of him and promised - $15,000. Luke was wickedly effective at bank robbery. He could always get his cash and get away, no matter how many police officers showed up at the scene.

Luke climbed onto the roof of an apartment building, stretching and cracking his neck.

“I see you’ve made it.”

“I always do.”

“Hm.”

A man walked towards Luke, car keys dangling off of his finger. He tossed them to Luke, who easily caught  them, nodding before turning his just emptied bag and hoodie inside out so that they were black instead of red. As he stuffed the money back into his backpack, he looked up at the man that now consistently provided him with his - stolen - getaway cars.

“Thank you.”

The silver haired man rolled his eyes, pocketing the money that Luke handed to him to pay for his help, clapping the lad on his shoulder.

“Just go, boy. You’ve got money to drop off.”

Luke smiled, dropping down the ladder and calmly walking over to the car, marked by the stuffed penguin on the dashboard. Police cars shot past him, sirens blaring, but Luke never broke pace, or even looked over, instead just getting in the car and starting it up, driving it to the house of the made man that had assigned his job, whom Luke knew very well.

He shifted his backpack over his shoulder as he got out of the car, the needed $7,500 in his bag, the rest in the car. He gently knocked, knowing that inside were young children that were likely sleeping, as it was roughly their naptime.

The door opened, revealing a man in his mid to late thirties, a scar on his cheek, and a frown at being bothered. Then he noticed it was Luke at his door, and he nodded, smiling.

“Lucas, right. Money?”

“Everything you asked for.”

Luke received a smile and a pat on the shoulder before he was let in, being lead to the kitchen even though the house was as familiar to him as his own apartment. Luke dumped his bag onto the table, the money spilling out.

“It’s separated into hundreds.”

“Giovanni?”

The man lifted his head, looking up to see his wife in the doorway, a bottle of baby milk in her hand.

“Annetta wants you to read her a story, so when you’re done…”

She gave him a pointed look, tilting her head towards their daughter’s bedroom before walking away, and Giovanni shook his head, smiling as he sighed softly, counting the money before him.

“Women, you know? I love my wife.”

Luke hummed softly, mind flashing to nights where his bed had been kept warm by generally stronger figures as opposed to soft, feminine ones.

“Yeah…”

Giovanni looked at him, setting down the last stack of cash.

“Help me get this into the safe?”

Luke nodded, and they scooped up the money, carrying it to the safe in Giovanni and his wife’s bedroom, hidden by a loose panel in the closet. Luke himself just kept his valuables in a hole in the wall of his apartment, which he constantly hammered open and then plastered again to keep them hidden.

As he drove the car to a secluded spot to get rid of it before catching a bus home, he anxiously thought about the fact that he was - most likely - becoming a made man that night. Which would mean he’d finally meet the boss of the family, the one who was letting non-Italians into the mob, as long as they were particularly skilled (as he himself was not Italian, or even born in New York City like most of the mob).

There were a great many rumours about the young Don. Everyone knew them, yet no one talked about them. It was said that he did not enjoy the company of women in his bed, something that made Luke feel both relieved and even more anxious at the same time. It was a known fact that he didn’t wear suits often, and that he could detach himself from a person and kill them, no matter how close they had been.

But the exact number of lives he had taken was also only rumoured. Some said said it was only about five, others said it was over forty. Either way, he was a force to be reckoned with, and he demanded respect, some of it earned out of love, some earned out of fear.

No matter what way Luke tried to calm himself, the more he thought about it, the more his fingers shook as he buttoned his suit jacket, heart pounding out of his chest as he straightened his tie, standing outside as he waited for his ride to come.

The whole way there was silent, and Luke bounced his leg, staring out the window, trying to think of something to calm himself down. Most made men talked about their excitement prior to their initiation ceremonies, but Luke was filled with nothing but nerves. He’d never break the code of silence, he knew that, omerta was too deep rooted for that, but it was just the prospect of meeting the boss that had him quaking in his seat.

“We’re here.”

Luke snapped out of his thoughts, nodding.

“Yeah, thanks.”

He opened the door, getting out before being led to a room full of men in suits, standing in two rows before another man slightly shorter than Luke, playing with a match. He lifted his head, staring Luke down and smiling.

“Do you know why you’re here?”

“No.”

The men laughed, and Luke smiled slightly, knowing exactly why he was in the room before the boss of the family - Michael, Luke remembered -, surrounded by people. Michael beckoned him forwards, through the room of men so that he was standing before Michael.

“You know who I am?”

“Yes.”

“You will do anything I ask you to. This includes murder, laying your life on the line, and going to prison for me. Are you willing to do that?”

“Of course.”

Michael took Luke’s right hand in his, lifting his pointer finger, pulling a switchblade out of his pocket, slitting the tip of his finger, the blood dripping onto the floor, slowly, drop after drop until Michael handed him a picture of Saint Francis of Assisi, Luke’s blood dripping onto it instead, He cupped it in his hands, already prepared for the tradition as Michael struck a match, setting the paper on fire.

“Move it back and forth in your hands Now, repeat after me.”

Luke stared at the picture burning between his palms, careful not to burn himself.

“As burns this saint, so will burn my soul. I enter alive and I will have to get out dead.”

Michael smiled, the paper finishing burning in Luke’s hands as he handed him a tissue for his still bleeding finger.

“Welcome to my family, Luke.

Luke smiled, and Michael stepped forwards, wrapping his arms around him before releasing him so that the others could do the same.

“C’mon, let’s go out to eat.”

Luke was pulled along outside by Michael, trailing after the others as they separated into different cars. Luke felt like Michael’s hand might have lingered on his shoulder a little too long to be friendly, but he just shook it off, watching as Michael scooted into the middle seat, between Luke and another man that Luke didn’t know, but had only seen. Luke absentmindedly pulled a flame red strand of hair off of his arm, wondering how Michael had even decided to colour his hair such a vibrant red.

“So, Luke. Have you got a girlfriend?”

Luke cleared his throat, hoping to get rid of the image of Michael’s lips and how they could possibly feel when pressed to his own.

“No, I, uh… no. There’s no girls in my life.”

Luke almost choked as Michael patted his thigh, hand remaining there.

“Yeah, me neither.”

He grinned at Luke, and Luke felt his heart jump into his throat as he smiled back, hoping he didn’t look like a moronic twelve year old with a silly crush. Michael squeezed his thigh slightly, and all that Luke could think about was how this was definitely  _not_  how Giovanni had described Michael, or the process of becoming a made man.


	2. Chapter Two

Luke sat up as his phone rang, waking him up. He walked to the kitchen, answering sleepily.

“Hello?”

“Luke, I see you’ve woken up, even though it’s two in the morning.”

“Mr Clifford?”

Michael sighed on his side of the call, clearly slightly annoyed.

“Michael to you, I told you that.”

“Right. Sorry.”

Luke leant against his kitchen wall, yawning.

“So, what’s up?”

There was a shifting sound on the other side of the line.

“I had a dream about you. Well, the both of us, really.”

“Huh?”

Michael made a soft amused sound at Luke’s sleepy, confused noise.

“It made me wanna talk to you, and I can’t sleep.”

“Oh. Right. Makes sense. What was your dream about?”

Luke smiled as Michael launched into an explanation of his dream about them going to Dairy Queen together to get ice cream.

“And then we went to the beach and sat on the jetty - you know the one that goes out real far but goes up real high? That one. We just sat there for a few hours.”

“So...like a date then?”

Michael was silent for a few minutes, and Luke’s heart started beating erratically.

“I asked if you had a girlfriend earlier.”

“I remember.”

“Was that the correct term to be using?”

Luke’s mouth went dry, and he almost hung up on the nineteen year old boss right in that second.

“Look-”

“It’s fine to not be interested in girls.”

Luke picked at his pajama pants, slightly stressed by the new conversation topic.

“I know.”

“You aren’t, are you?”

Luke sighed, wondering how this had become a discussion on his sexuality.

“No, I’m not. I don’t like girls. I’m gay, are you gonna kill me for it now?”

“No. That’s stupid. And kinda hypocritical in a way.”

Luke let out a slow breath, leaning more heavily against the wall.

“Why did you want to know?”

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

Luke almost choked at Michael’s casual tone before composing himself, clearing his throat.

“No. No, uh, I don’t. I never really have, just a few things here and there that never worked out in the end.”

“I’m not picky, myself. I just like people.”

Luke smiled slightly, sitting on the floor.

“So, why did you bring this up?”

“I got a not-straight vibe from you.”

Luke furrowed his eyebrows at Michael’s words, confused in his tiredness.

“What do you mean?”

“I can just sense it, it makes my life easier.”

Luke rolled his eyes, yawning softly, the yawn distorting his response slightly.

“Whatever.”

“I think you should probably go to sleep.”

Luke nodded even though Michael couldn’t see him, yawning again.

“Yeah. Goodnight.”

“Night, Luke.”

Michael hung up, and Luke set his phone back down, heading back to his room and climbing into his now cold bed, quickly falling asleep again.

**-:-:-:-:-**

“What’s up, why’d you ask me to come over?”

Michael laughed, letting Luke into his house.

“Hello to you too, damn.”

Luke flushed red, rubbing the back of his head.

“Right, yeah, hi.”

Michael smiled, closing his door.

“To answer your question, I was bored and kinda lonely, if I’m gonna be honest.”

Luke laughed, stopping as Michael glared at him.

“What?”

“I’m allowed to be lonely.”

Luke grinned, nudging Michael.

“You’re supposed to be this big, scary, powerful mob boss though.”

Michael shrugged as they walked into the living room, Michael flopping down onto the couch taking up most of one wall of the big room.

“I know what people say about me, I don’t care. They say I’m young, gay, a murderer, and heartless. They’re wrong though, only half that’s right. I’m not gay, and I’m not heartless.”

“If you were heartless, you’d be dead.”

Michael nodded, sinking back into his couch pillows.

“In a literal sense, yeah. But I do have emotions, I’m just good at detaching myself from them if need be. Anyway, how are you?”

Luke blinked at the sudden change of topic, sitting next to Michael and stretching out slightly.

“Good, I think. I’m not sick, and life’s nice right now, so it’s good. I don’t have any bank...appointments any time soon I think, so no anxiety over planning and executing that.”

Michael nodded, looking at Luke.

“How’d you even get into all this?”

Luke sighed softly, staring at his hands.

“When I was like eight, my parents and I took a vacation here, and they ended up getting in a car crash. I got out of it perfectly fine cos I wasn’t in the car. They didn’t. Just because I got out to use the bathroom at some gas station. Another car hit them while they were filling up on gas, and…let’s just say it didn’t end well.”

Michael winced, and Luke nodded, running his fingers through his hair.

“Yeah. Anyway, you know Giovanni?”

“Long ass last name, cute little kids, head over heels in love with his wife?”

“Di Giuseppantonio, yeah. Anyway, he found me after that, and he had just gotten married to his wife, but they hadn’t been able to have kids yet. So, I stayed with them until my last birthday when I moved out so they could focus on spending more time with their kids and raising them without having to feed me or anything. I still visit a lot, he usually gives me my jobs and helps me plan them, actually. But, at one point, they were really bad on money after someone broke in and wrecked the house while we were out, so I robbed a little, shitty bank. I just kept doing that, and I was really good at it, so I just kept going and going and getting more and more money and just hiding it in their wallets and other places they’d find it like a Robin Hood style Santa Claus. Eventually, Giovanni found out, and he actually encouraged it and helped me make my plans bigger and safer, and now I’m here.”

Michael nodded, genuinely interested in Luke’s story, which Luke was mildly surprised about, as no one had ever asked before.

“So, it’s still kinda traditional family business for you. Just from adopted family.”

“In a way, yeah.”

Luke smiled, his fingers rubbing over the scar on his right index finger.

“How old were you the first time?”

“The first time I robbed that shitty bank?”

Michael nodded, and Luke blew air out of his mouth as he thought back, unsure.

“Ten or eleven, I think. It had crap security, but it’s much better now, because of me.”

Luke grinned proudly, and Michael laughed, nudging him.

“You’re awful.”

“And you’re my boss.”

Michael patted Luke’s knee, standing and stretching.

“Anyway, you wanna go get ice cream?”

Luke’s face flushed slightly as he remembered Michael’s dream as he stood and nodded.

“Yeah, sure.”

Their drive to Dairy Queen was filled with loud music and bad jokes, with Michael’s hand resting on Luke’s thigh as he drove, Luke’s face pink the whole way there as they traded increasingly flirty jibes. Luke could definitely get used to this kind of life.


	3. Chapter Three

Luke got up from his couch, where he was going through his bills, walking to the kitchen as the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Luke.”

Luke huffed, almost hanging up.

“You haven’t talked to me in two months.”

“I know.”

Luke ran his hand through his hair, hating how apathetic Michael’s voice sounded.

“You haven’t even called me in two fucking months, how the hell is it now that I’ve brought you money you suddenly want me again after our little date?”

“No.”

“Excuse me?”

Michael sighed, and Luke could hear the frustration in his voice.

“I don’t date. That’s how people die. I cannot be someone’s boyfriend without someone putting a bullet in their brain and breaking my heart. Sometimes it’s me, cos they’re an undercover cop, or they get hurt or tortured so badly that death is more merciful than their life. So, I give into their begging and shoot them myself. I refuse to let you die like that, you don’t deserve that.”

Luke was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say before anger bubbled up in him again.

“Either way, how are you going to pretend I don’t exist for so long and then conveniently call me up again after I do a job for you? How is that fair to me?”

Michael spoke softly, his voice hard.

“Watch who you’re talking to and what you’re saying in that tone, Hemmings. I am allowed to call you to check up on you after a job to make sure you’re alright, those are work matters, so you had best separate your job and duty to me from your emotions before you open your mouth and speak to me like that while bringing up your job.”

Luke swallowed, nodding to himself.

“Sorry.”

Michael took a breath, speaking in a calmer tone.

“Anyway, how are you? I heard you had to shoot someone?”

“It’s alright, it was a cop who was following me too far. No civilians, I know how you feel about that. Don’t worry.”

“But how are you, I don’t care about the cop.”

Luke sighed, sitting in a chair, stretching out.

“I’m fine. It wasn’t the first time I’ve killed someone, won’t be the last.”

“Fucking hell, attitude like that, and you’ll end up like me. And that’s not a good thing, Luke, trust me.”

Luke looked up at his ceiling, speaking softly.

“The Red Don.”

“Yeah. When you get a nickname based off of being covered in blood, it isn’t good.”

Luke smiled slightly, crossing his legs as he sat up more.

“I think you’re a good person.”

“Don’t, I’m far from a good person. Thinking like that’ll get you killed. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Luke blinked at the sudden dismissal of a farewell.

“Right. Goodbye, Michael.”

Michael hung up, and Luke slowly put his phone back on its hook before sliding his chair back to where it had been beside his small kitchen table.

“He’s not a bad person…”

Yet, despite Luke’s conviction, he couldn’t help but worry slightly that maybe Michael was right, and that he was wrong.

-:-:-:-:-

Luke sighed softly, running his fingers through his hair before he knocked on Michael’s door, which quickly opened. Michael had been waiting. Of course he had been though, he was the one that called Luke and asked him to come over after all.

“Hi.”

Michael smiled, letting him in.

“How are you?”

“I’m alright, I guess. What about you?”

Michael shrugged, leaning against a wall.

“I’m good. I was wondering if you’d help me with something, actually.”

Luke immediately grew wary, crossing his arms.

“What do you need my help with?”

Michael sighed, propping one foot against his pristine white wall.

“You don’t have to kill anyone if you don’t want to, it’d be quicker and more helpful, but at the very least, I need a getaway driver.”

“What did they do?”

Michael smiled slightly, straightening up and pushing himself off the wall.

“They’re gonna flip and give the police information for protection.”

Luke sighed, nodding.

“Yeah, I’ll help.”

Michael grinned, grabbing his keys and sliding them into his pocket.

“You didn’t actually have a choice, but it’s nice to know you’ll co-operate.”

He flashed Luke a sweet smile before grabbing him by the front of his shirt and pulling him back outside. They got into the car, and Michael happily hummed to himself as he loaded his gun after giving Luke the address.

“There’s like two or three guys holed up in a shitty little house, which is why I asked if you’d help. Plus, to be polite, y’know, no sense in taking all the fun when I could share with you.”

Luke nodded, running his fingers over the gun he now always carried in his hoodie pocket.

“Down this street, right?”

“Yup.”

Luke was slightly disturbed by Michael’s cheerful attitude, but decided to ignore it. After all, if Michael was nicknamed the Red Don, among other things, - and not for the vibrant red shade of his hair - then it was definitely in his best interest if he didn’t mention it. Just in case.

“We’re here.”

Luke stopped the car, knowing that they were actually at least a few blocks from the house. Michael opened his door before looking at Luke.

“You coming with me or no?”

Luke hesitated before getting out of the car.

“Yeah, of course.”

Michael grinned brightly, and they set off towards the house, which was just a pathetic little shed looking thing. The older boy knocked on the door, patiently waiting. The door opened after a minute, and Luke heard a surprised voice from where he was behind Michael.

“I-is everything alright, boss?”

Michael stepped into the house, speaking softly, Luke silently following him as he moved.

“Have you heard of a little thing called  _omerta_?” It’s the code of silence. I recall you taking it when you became a made man, no? Means you wouldn’t betray me, or my family.”

Luke could see the man’s eyes widen, and the more he stepped back, the more Michael smiled and moved forwards.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t you? ‘As burns this saint, so will burn my soul. I enter alive and I will have to get out dead.’ Well, you wanted out.”

Michael raised his gun, firing a single bullet into the man’s brain, before he leant against the wall, looking at Luke and counting down.

“Three… two… one…”

He pulled Luke out of the way, a bullet impacting the door behind where Luke had been.

“And now, the fun starts.”

Michael ducked into the living room, and Luke heard another shot being fired. He followed Michael, ignoring the vaguely familiar face in a pool of blood, instead crouching behind a couch next Michael.

“Glad you joined me.”

Michael patted Luke’s hand before peeking around the corner of the couch, into the kitchen, where Luke could see another man looking into the living room, back at Michael. He quickly lifted his arm, but Luke was quicker to the draw, already having pulled his trigger. Michael clapped him on the shoulder, standing as the man fell to the ground.

“That’s everyone, we can go. C’mon.”

Luke stood, feeling an odd rush of elation. They got back into Luke’s car, and Luke began laughing as he drove them away.

“That was fun.”

Michael grinned, and Luke’s face pinkened as he felt Michael’s hand rest atop his on the gearshift. He turned his hand over, allowing Michael’s fingers to slip through his, blushing more and more as each second passed.

“Here, pull over here.”

Luke looked at Michael quizzically, but complied, pulling over onto the path leading into a park where they were surrounded by trees.

“What?”

Michael grinned, pulling his hand out of Luke’s and undoing his seatbelt.

“Killing people always pumps me up way too much, c’mere.”

He cupped Luke’s face in his, leaning over the console and kissing him, much to Luke’s surprise. Luke flailed his hands for a second before trying to lean closer, his seatbelt and the centre console impeding that attempt slightly. Michael’s hands slid down to Luke’s neck, and he pulled back slightly, speaking quietly.

“Let’s go back to my house.”

Luke nodded furiously, stealing another kiss from Michael before almost speeding the whole way back to Michael’s semi-mansion, both of them far too hyped up with excitement to do anything until they got rid of it somehow, which was exactly what they were planning on doing.


	4. Chapter Four

“Have you noticed something a bit...weird...these past few weeks?”

“Weird how?”

“The Boss seems happier since that Lucas kid was made a made man and started hanging around him.”

The man looked at the other with squinted eyes from across the bar’s table, not quite following.

“Yeah, so, he made a friend, good for him, so what?”

“You fuck your friends in the ass?”

Beer spewed out from the denser man’s lips, and the man in front of him sighed, wiping his face clean of the alcoholic beverage with a napkin.

“He  _what_?”

The still slightly damp man shuddered, shaking his head.

“You don’t wanna know what I walked in on the Boss and his Lucas kid doing.”

The other made a face, and a hand clapped down on either of their shoulders.

“Hello, boys. And just what are we talking about?”

They both froze at the soft voice and firm hands, turning to look at the woman affectionately - and appropriately - known to the mob as “Mamma Orso”, or, “Mama Bear”. Giovanni Di Giuseppantonio may be an intimidating man when business got right down to it, but his wife, Maria, was a whole other story. She was  _always_ intimidating, even when she had a child on her hip, like she usually did. There were a particular story of how the couple had met, which everyone accepted as fact, as neither Maria nor Giovanni denied it.

It was commonly said that Giovanni had been driving away from the cops, speeding down streets, having just shot a major threat to the mob, the gunshot alerting the police. He had jumped out of the car, into an alley, where a twenty year old Maria, who was known as Maria Alduino then, was comforting a small child. She had turned around to see the young Giovanni before her and heard the police sirens, and was easily able to put two and two together, and had ended up with the child on her hip, blazing down cops with her guns to provide a distraction as Giovanni drove away. She had gotten away with it, just like she’d gotten away with everything else. They got married five years later, Giovanni Di Giuseppantonio the only man brave enough to date her.

Mamma Orso was just as intimidating, if not more so, as the Red Don, so when the men looked up to see her, they almost wet their pants in fear at the realisation that she had overheard at least part of their conversation.

“We were just discussing the Boss.”

Maria smiled slightly, sitting down in a free seat at the table.

“And what was it that I heard about my Lucas?”

The two men exchanged worried looks, as Mamma Orso was notoriously protective of her children, and after ten years of raising him, she considered Luke as much as one of her children as her five year old and newborn daughters.

“Nothing, I don’t even remember mentioning him.”

Her smile remained just as sweet as she took out her gun, which was bright pink and had “Mamma Orso” etched into the side, placing it onto the table. If the men hadn’t been scared before then, they would have been then. Luke had gotten her that gun for her last birthday, and she treasured it like it was the Holy Grail.

“Good, because if I ever hear even a whisper of a bad word about my  _son_ , or his preferences, I won’t hesitate to make your lives a living hell before I drag your sorry asses over to Michael, you hear me? And you can pass that on to everyone else.”

They both went pale and nodded furiously. Maria smiled, slipping her gun back into the top of her dress.

“Great. Glad we had this talk, boys.”

She got up, and they both immediately downed their drinks as she walked away, quite literally shaking in fear, their quietly rattling chairs proving it.

**-:-:-:-:-**

“Good morning, lover boy.”

Luke groaned as Michael opened the curtains, sunlight pouring into the room. Michael rolled his eyes as Luke stuffed his head under Michael’s pillows, mumbling something about sleeping.

“I have no clue what you said, but get up.”

Luke lifted his head, yawning out his words.

“I said, how about you get back in bed and cuddle me so we can spend the day sleeping?”

Michael hummed in consideration as Luke smiled hopefully up at him, clearly still half asleep under all of the covers.

“Alright, fine, but go brush your teeth first.”

Luke man an offended noise, sitting up.

“Are you saying I have bad breath?”

Michael smiled, leaning against the wall and looking Luke up and down.

“I’m just saying, that knowing you, and knowing myself, I don’t feel like kissing you and having your morning breath ruin the mood. I already brushed my teeth when I got up, now it’s your turn.”

Luke huffed, but got up, sticking his tongue out at Michael as he walked out of the bedroom.

**-:-:-:-:-**

“Lukey!”

Luke bent down, picking Annetta up as the little five year old ran toward him, lifting her up and swinging her around, Michael closing the car door.

“Hey, Nettie!”

She giggled, wrapping her arms around him before he lifted her up more so she could ride on his shoulders, turning to look at Michael.

“Michael, this is Nettie, Giovanni and Maria’s older daughter.”

Nettie smiled, sticking out her chubby hand towards Michael.

“Hi, my name’s Annetta!”

Michael smiled, shaking her small hand.

“Hello.”

Annetta tapped Luke’s head, and he set off towards the house, looking at Michael.

“C’mon.”

Michael laughed as Luke allowed himself to be steered by the five year old girl, clearly used to it. Despite the fact that Luke was the polar opposite to her in looks, as he was tall, very pale, and blond with blue eyes, and Annetta was small, tan, and had brown hair and eyes, they clearly adored each other more than most siblings. Michael followed them into the house, and Luke plopped Annetta down onto the couch, turning to kiss Maria on the cheek.

“Hello.”

“Nice of you to come home for dinner for once.”

“Hey!”

Maria just smiled before walking over to Michael, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

“Hello, Michael.”

Michael smiled, noticing Annetta jump onto Luke behind her mother.

“Hi. Nice to properly meet you.”

She smiled, patting his shoulder, clearly unfazed by the fact that she, her husband, and her adoptive son all worked for him.

“Dinner will be done in a bit. Luke, can you go get Rosie for me, she should be up from her nap now. So should Giovanni. Lazy man.”

Michael smiled, and Annetta turned her attention towards him as Luke left the room.

“Are you Luke’s best friend?”

Michael smiled, sitting on the floor so he was more on her level.

“We’re a bit more than friends.”

She blinked, clearly trying to understand.

“Like...my parents?”

“Well, we aren’t married, but sure.”

Annetta smiled, nodding.

“Okay, I like you then!”

Michael laughed at her sudden decision and serious expression.

“Did you not like me before?”

“I didn’t know you before, and my Babbo says not to trust people that I don’t know, but if Luke likes you, then you can’t be bad, and I like you.”

Michael smiled at her innocent logic, standing as Luke walked back into the room, a bundle of blankets in his arms, a sleepy looking baby in that bundle. Annetta ran over to him, smiling.

“Can I hold her?”

“Sit down on the couch first.”

Annetta ran over to the couch, sitting down and holding her arms in a cradling position, looking at Luke expectantly. Michael watched with a fond expression as he gently deposited the baby into Annetta’s arms, Annetta looking at Michael proudly.

“This is my little sister, Rosabella, and everyone calls her Rosie, but I call her Belly, cos it’s funny, and she’s soft like a tummy.”

Michael covered his mouth to stifle his laughter at Annetta’s logic before moving closer to take a look at Rosie, who was the smallest baby he had ever seen in his life.

“Oh my god, she’s so cute.”

Luke smiled, and footsteps trailed into the living room.

“Thanks, I helped make her.”

Michael laughed as Giovanni walked over to his daughters, patting Annetta on the top of the head.

“Is dinner done yet?”

“Maria said it was almost done when we got here.”

Giovanni nodded, sitting down on the couch.

“Right, so we’ve got about an hour. How are you, boys?”

Michael looked up from where he was making faces at Rosie, smiling.

“I’m fine, thanks for asking.”

“I think he just wants to play with the girls.”

Luke smiled as Michael allowed Rosie to tug at his hair while having a conversation with Annetta about the plausibility of her the four foot tall dollhouse that she wanted for Christmas.

“What a tough Boss.”

Michael stuck his tongue out at Luke, and Luke just laughed, internally relieved that his family accepted Michael, and more importantly, their relationship so easily.


	5. Chapter Five

“How stereotypical.”

The brunet man rolled his eyes, leaning against the wall of the alley the two men were waiting in.

“Oh, shut up.”

“Mmhm, yeah.”

Another person walked into the alley, and they were taken aback by his flame red hair. He pointed at them before gesturing over his shoulder and walking away.

“I guess we follow him?”

“C’mon.”

They quickly caught up, and the redhead fell back behind them, nudging them along to a car with a blond sitting inside, in the passenger’s seat.

“In, boys.”

They got into the back, and the blond boy looked at the redhead as he got into the driver’s seat.

“Really Michael?”

“Luke, they’ve been associates longer than you were. Don’t question me. Calum and Ashton are fine, and if they’re not…”

Calum blinked as he heard Michael softly click his tongue as he put his seatbelt on. Luke sighed, and the back seat riders could have sworn that they heard him mumble a soft “Sorry, babe,” as Michael started up the car.

**-:-:-:-:-**

“I don’t _need_ sidekicks!”

“And _I_ don’t need you getting hurt.”

Luke huffed, still pacing Michael’s living room.

“You added more people to the mob - more _danger_ , it’s dangerous every time someone joins, I don’t need them to help me, I’m not a baby!”

“Luke.”

Luke whipped around to face Michael, who was staring at him with a blank expression from where he was sat on the couch, comfortably stretched out, arms over the back of the couch, one leg crossed over the other.

“Luke, are you trying to tell me how to run my family?”

“No, I-”

Michael stood, slowly walking over to him as Luke froze in place.

“The second you bring up the mob, you can _not_ talk to me like an equal, you talk to me as your _boss_ , I don’t care who you are, the only person who can get away with that is Maria Di Giuseppantonio. Not you. You are barely a made man. If I want to give my employee protection, then I will, and there’s nothing he can do about it. _Do you understand me_?”

Luke nodded, and Michael relaxed, smiling.

“That being said, you are not a baby. But you are my baby, and for my own selfish reasons,  don’t want you getting hurt. Okay?”

Luke smiled, pushing Michael’s shoulder.

“Softie.”

“Don’t make me shoot you.”

Luke just laughed, and Michael smiled, leaning in and kissing him.

“No laughing, I will.”

“But then I’d get hurt.”

Michael hummed, kissing Luke again.

“What a dilemma.”

Luke just smiled, wrapping his arms around Michael, leaning into him.

“So, about my little bodyguards…”

**-:-:-:-:-**

“Right, so you’ll hit this bank, and it’ll be your last single heist for a while.”

Luke nodded, examining the map that he, Michael, and Giovanni were huddled around. He hummed, pointing to a nearby associate’s house.

“Could the car be left here? How monitored is this house?”

Michael hummed, looking at where Luke was pointing.

“That’s good, no one would suspect them.”

“Plus there’s hedges blocking the view of the yard, so you could lose the cops there.”

Luke nodded as Giovanni scribbled down their plans as he spoke.

It  took about two and a half hours for them to get down the minute details. What they had really struggled over was whether Luke should go to a certain teller, and what he should wear. Apart from a few rotational details - mainly locations - everything else was pretty much standard procedure again after so long.

**-:-:-:-:-**

Luke took a small breath as he walked into the bank, smiling at a woman who passed him on her way out. He shivered slightly, tightening his hood, fiddling with the hoodie strings to make them even as he got into a line. Luke reached the teller and looked up, speaking softly, pulling his gun from his pocket, using a thick Italian accent that he had perfected by age ten.

“Money. Call cops, and it’ll go off.”

The man’s eyes widened, and he began to shove money towards Luke’s backpack, clearly panicking as he grabbed money from other tellers, handing that over as well. And then Luke heard it.

“Give us the money!”

He groaned, stuffing the last stacks into his bag, turning to see Calum and Ashton looking out of place and slightly confused.

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME‽”

They looked at Luke in surprise, and he ran as the alarms went off, the other two hot on his heels.

“Can’t believe this…”

It was only when they were in the getaway car that Luke calmed down and began laying into them, police cars speeding past the nondescript vehicle on the way to McDonald’s.

“Are you fucking joking, what the _hell_ were you two doing?”

“Uhm...working. We didn’t expect you to be there.”

“You cannot do jobs that were not approved by the Boss, did you forget that? No unsanctioned jobs, rule number fucking one! Furthermore, you did nothing to hide your face, you had nothing for threats and defense, no intimidating attitude, nothing! You didn’t even have fucking bags for the money! Forget that my job got fucked over, you didn’t even do your own!”

They shifted uncomfortably in the back seat, and Luke shook his head as he pulled into the McDonald’s drive thru.

**-:-:-:-:-**

Luke stalked into Michael’s office, dropping his backpack on the desk with a huff. Michael hummed softly, not looking up from his papers.

“You’re back early. I guess it went smoother than I thought.”

“Fuck no, it didn’t! Guess who showed up?”

“Police.”

“No, my little bodyguards that you hired just to keep me safe.”

Michael looked up from whatever he was writing, raising his eyebrows.

“That shouldn’t have thrown you off at all, you’ve seen people you know mid-heist. You work just fine like that. What’s the problem?”

Luke flopped down into a chair before Michael’s desk, groaning.

“They came in to rob the place in the middle of me getting my job done.”

“Well, did you get the money?”

Luke waved his hand towards his backpack, clearly still grumpy.

“Not as much as I could have, not sure how much there is in there.”

Michael nodded, and began to dig through Luke’s backpack.

“So, they ruined your heist.”

Luke closed his eyes before them and screaming in frustration.

“THEY DIDN’T EVEN HAVE BAGS!”

Michael laughed as Luke took a deep breath to calm himself, holding his arms out towards the blond. Luke got up, sitting in Michael’s lap, almost pouting.

“You got all you needed, don’t worry.”

“Yeah, but I like getting more.”

Michael smiled, kissing Luke’s cheek.

“You don’t need more than what I ask you for to make me happy. This is good enough.”

Luke crossed his arms, mumbling.

“I like being better than ‘good enough’.”

Michael grinned, looking over Luke’s shoulder as he continued writing what appeared to be a letter.

“Hey, at least you had something to put the money in.”

Luke growled, and Michael just smiled, kissing his shoulder as he kept writing with the disgruntled eighteen year old in his lap.


End file.
